The Iconoclastic Society
A Terror Incorporation Sounds like a tech-savvy Corporate term unlike the way we imagine terror organisations in general. When we think of terrorists, the first picture that comes to our mind is a bunch of fanatics wearing black robes, with Ak-47 or explosives and committing ruthless atrocities on innocents. But, it's just the tip of the iceberg. A terror outfit in reality is a large business empire operating across borders. It completely resembles a well-established Corporate firm with advanced hierarchies and specialised departments.
In some aspects, a terror org. significantly outperforms most Business firms in terms of dynamic cum covert execution of tasks, superior battle-hardened Operatives who can perform in any crisis and the most important factor, each employee in a terror org. has a strong sense of purpose coupled with professionalism.
This sense of purpose to deliver selfless service coupled with advanced professionalism turns a mere outfit into a lethal war machine.
Any major Corporate firm in the World has the following facets that form the bedrock of its functioning:
1. Command and Organisational Structure (Boss, manager, employee, CEO)
2. Financing and cash flow management (managing company money like raising funds from investors / shareholders)
3. Supply chain and Logistics (getting raw materials, hardware components from mills, govt., companies)
4. HR, recruitment and Retention(Hiring bright minds and provide them the best pays and perks to retain them)
5. Research & Development (R&D)(Constant testing and innovating to have an edge, to stay ahead on the curve)
6. Marketing, and PR(advertisements, digital / physical campaigns to attract people)
Another point / aspect where the Terror outfits have an edge, is constant threats from law-enforcement bodies, government intelligence units forces the firm to constantly evolve, through heavy investment in R&D, regular testing of Weapons and digital infrastructure, and constant push for innovation & creativity. All of this, just to survive and thrive by bypassing security checks.
Now once, we have understood the basic framework of an a typical MNC, we can dive into the functioning of a terror organisation.
First and foremost, to lead a terror organisation you require a leader with elite education, intellectual prowess and seasoned understanding of how to establish and run a startup. Founders of Alqaeda, Osama-bin-Laden, pursued Economics and Public Administration and later trained in Civil Engineering from Abdulaziz Univ in Jeddah. Co-founder Ayman Al-Zawahiri was a trained Surgeon and Paediatrician. Omar Faruk Abdul (The underwear bomber) did Mechanical Engineering from UCL (University College London).
In India, Iqbal and Riyaz Bhatkal hailing from the Indian Mujahideen responsible for serial bombings in 2008 Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, were Civil Engineers and trained IED specialists.
Afzal Guru, Convict of 2001 parliament Attacks was an MBBS dropout from a govt. College in Kashmir.
In the 9/11 terror incident, one of the lead plane hijackers Mohammad Atta was a graduate in Architecture from Cairo University and a Postgraduate in Urban Planning from Hamburg University of Technology in Germany (1999).
From all the statistics and data we have gathered, it can be unanimously concluded that terror outfits are being run by highly apt individuals from the top board of leaders to on-ground executors.
§1I.Command & Organisational Structure
Just like any business firm or Political party, it has a Supreme leader or Amir who is the ultimate decision-maker and the prime ideological driver.
e.g - Osama bin Laden leading the Alqaeda, Syed Salauddin leader of Hizbul Mujahideen, Hafiz Saeed over Lashkar-e-Taiba, Baghdadi leading the ISIS.
It is the equivalent of a CEO of a Company like Jeff Bezos leading Amazon or Elon Musk leading Tesla.
Then Comes the 'Shura' Council (consultative body). It is the equivalent of board of directors in a Company, it comprises of the most educated Senior advisors and Academic scholars.
And at last the Specialised departments answering directly to the leadership such as military committee, financial and auditing, legal/sharia branch and the Media department handling PR.
This is core tier of governance which remains underground as it is the most vulnerable yet Critical branch to intelligence units and law enforcement units.
§2a.Sub-National groups and Regional Commands
Every Major terror inc. has got its, Continental branches that operate across important regions across the globe with Varying geo-political interests but the ultimate goal of Propagating Terror. They get Strategic autonomy to execute strikes and operations and act as a buffer.
e.g - The ISIS has got 7 branches:
1. ISIS-K (Khorasan) - operates in Khorasan province, Iran
2. ISWAP - West Africa province
3. IS-Sahel - Sahel grasslands Africa
4. ISCAP - Central Africa
5. IS Somalia
6. IS Mozambique
7. IS East Africa
Al-Qaeda operates in 5 Major branches:
1. Al-Shabaab (East Africa / Somalia)
2. JNIM (Sahel Region)
3. AQAP (Arabian Peninsula)
4. AQIS (Indian Subcontinent)
5. AQIM (Islamic Maghreb), West Africa.
It is simply like any MNC with large scale outlets across the globe.
§3b.Compartmentalisation
'Compartmentalisation' is used to execute strikes at Micro-level. Terror-groups heavily rely on them by building Autonomous Cells Comprising 5 to 6 people who are only aware of their immediate handler and fellow unit Comrades. They are completely unaware of other cells with varying objectives.
It operates like a Hub and Spoke Model with One Prime Logistics officer Coordinating with multiple isolated cells. This System ensures that even if one cell gets busted, it won't affect functioning of other cells and expose other critical details of the mission.
e.g - During 26/11 after Ajmal kasab was captured, he barely knew anything about the handlers and any actionable intelligence.
§4c.Hybrid & Networking Model
This is the most frequently used System in modern times; it involves leaderless resistance where individuals register themselves and are Self-radicalised through Social media and Conduct autonomous strikes.
The Next facet is Supply chain and Logistics, to run a massive firm you require secured Supply of raw materials, hardware and Weapons.
§5II. Supply Chain and Logistics
Components are never transported in their actual / finished forms, to bypass transit and security checks by legal bodies, COTS (Commercial Off-the Shell) items or tech is imported like Commercial fertilisers, cosmetics, agri-chemicals, pharma-derivatives.
Illicit Arms market across Africa and South Asia is used to acquire military grade Weapons and is traded heavily in Dark-Web.
COTS Components are gathered and co-built together separately.
* Modular Components like IEDs are built with materials that can't be detected by metal detectors with wood, ceramic and plastic. Large units are smuggled into through Smaller Components.
* e.g - LTTE, the Sri-Lankan Separatist Org. smuggled aircraft components and integrated them at their bases and formed the only terror org. with an active Airforce.
* Lashkar Terrorists are helped to cross borders by handlers with underground tunnels under borders with trees overhead the entry and exit points for active marking.
* Warehouses for staging and storing Weapons are established through safe houses, rural hideouts, front business, warehouses by false documents.
* Last-mile delivery - Components from regional Storage areas are delivered through human couriers Couriers to Strike, cells for execution.
* Maritime Commercial Vessels - Carry large amounts of Cargo that is very difficult to be inspected in detail. This loop hole helps terror outfits to smuggle Weapons in bulk by hiding it in these Cargoes.
* Free Trade Zones meant for economic cooperation between countries have porous borders which help to smuggle Cargo trucks.
* The Terror Outfits Come in nexus with Smuggling Syndicates Which have Specialised infrastructure to move drugs, Weapons and people across borders.
* Quadcopter drones meant for Security Surveillance are legally imported and are used to execute Kamikaze Strikes and Stealth delivery of items across borders.
To be continued